


Maybe Sprout Wings

by SnailArmy



Category: The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: Attempted Poisoning, Consensual Science, Extremely Scientific Flirting, F/F, Graphic Depictions of Science, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, semi-dubious consent? carmilla gets kinda drunk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:40:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23537752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnailArmy/pseuds/SnailArmy
Summary: Raphaella seduces Dr. Carmilla into mechanizing her. That's it, that's the story.All of the explicit stuff happens in the second chapter; so if you just want the meet-cute, avoid that one!Title is from the Mountain Goats song by the same name.
Relationships: Raphaella la Cognizi/Dr Carmilla
Comments: 12
Kudos: 61
Collections: Stowaways NSFW 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [quantumducky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/quantumducky/pseuds/quantumducky) in the [stowaways_nsfw_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/stowaways_nsfw_2020) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> If you ask Dr Carmilla, she'll tell you she doesn't remember mechanizing Raphaella. In reality, she's too embarrassed to admit that Raphaella seduced her- very successfully- into giving her immortality and cool wings, using highly unsafe, possibly deadly mad-scientist-lady flirting techniques (I've got a mental image of Raph thinking poison is a great way to make a first impression, and being completely right.) 
> 
> Bonus points for a cut into the future for the other Mechs' reactions to learning about this. Even more bonus points if you can combine "sex" and "mechanization" into "sexy mechanization." Apparently, I'm into that sort of thing now.

From the research she had done, and she had done a lot of research, the thing Raphaella la Cognizi was chasing had many names. Chief among them was Doctor Carmilla. The legends converged on few facts, but overall they painted her as female, bloodthirsty, missing one eye, a scientist, and utterly catastrophic to any person, place or time she came into contact with. Most importantly, she seemed to be immortal, and had a weakness for pretty women. Raphaella could work with that. 

The other students made fun of her board covered in ancient newspaper clippings and red string. But the other students had no ambition, and would die on this garbage dump of a backwater planet having made no _truly_ significant discoveries. Their 'research' may as well have been grade school book reports. Raphaella had bigger plans than that. To achieve even a fraction of them would require time, much more time than her mortal body would allow her. So her true calling was put on hold, and she searched for the secret of eternal life. 

When the annuls of medicine held no answers, she looked to religion and mythos. One figure stood out, a strand of spider silk forming a tenuous connection between times and places impossibly distant. Doctor Carmilla, formerly found on her starship Aurora. But while the last several hundred years had seen many a tale of the Aurora, complete with her trademark music and mayhem, the Doctor herself had mysteriously vanished from her crew. If Raphaella could find her... Well. She was confident that she would find a way to cross that bridge when she came to it. 

She was not expecting to find said bridge in a seedy bar, entirely by accident. She had been dragged there by some 'friends' who insisted that she 'have a social life' instead of 'staying cooped up in the lab all day,' which was frankly ridiculous. 

Raphaella sat at the bar with her classmates, though their idle chatter was utterly wasted on her. Her attention was fixed on the woman sat alone in the back corner. She was pale and gaunt, and even from here she could see the haunted look in her single remaining eye. An aura of weight and solemnity hung over her as she sipped on a glass of something dark and red. She was also the most beautiful woman Raphaella had ever seen. 

Before she could begin to panic, Raphaella ran through her usual method of collecting herself. The scientific method. Observation: this woman in the bar bears a striking resemblance to Doctor Carmilla. Hypothesis: This woman is Doctor Carmilla. There were many potential procedures to test her hypothesis, but if the Doctor truly was immortal, a bit of chemical reagent in her drink would be the most efficient test. If the woman survived, her hypothesis would be supported (nothing could ever be _proven_ , not in scientific terms). If not, well, Raphaella had more than ample experience in disposing of bodies, though that would hardly lend itself to replications. No matter. 

Regrettably, there was no time to establish controls or get the woman's baseline statistics. The experiment must begin immediately. Raphaella waved over the bartender and asked for two glasses of whatever the woman was having. She received a raised eyebrow in return, but a bill or two slid over the counter resulted in two glasses of fine merlot. 

She glanced over her shoulder before retrieving a small vial from her satchel and pouring it into one of the glasses. A scientist of her caliber must always be prepared. With her materials collected, Raphaella took the glasses in hand and sauntered over to the lonely table in the back. If she put a little more sway to her hips than was entirely necessary, well, she could always blame it on the wine. Never mind the fact that she hadn't had a drop since entering the establishment. 

The same could not be said for her test subject. As she drew nearer, the coppery smell of wine and misery grew stronger, and Raph counted at least three empty glasses on the table already. The woman didn't look up, even as she stopped beside the table. She cleared her throat. 

"I don't mean to impose, ma'am, but when I saw you over here all alone I couldn't help but buy you a drink. May I sit down?" Raphaella did all she could to turn her charm up to eleven, smiling and batting her eyes in the way that got results in a statistically significant number of trials. 

The woman glared up at her for a moment, then glanced to the wine in her hands. "Drink first." Her voice wasn't cracked and ancient in the way Raph expected; it was deep and rich as grave dirt. Something about it made her knees weak as she handed over the poisoned drink. 

The woman didn't break eye contact as she took the glass from Raphaella's hand and downed it. She sighed as she set the emptied glass on the table beside the others. Silently, Raph counted _one one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four one-thousand, five one-thousand--_ All the while, the woman just stared at her, slight smile on her lips. 

"I'm not going to keel over and die, if that's what you're waiting for. Sit down."

Raphaella found herself doing as instructed.

"I'm Carmilla, Doctor to you. But you already knew that, didn't you."

It wasn't a question, but Raph nodded the affirmative. She really didn't have a plan for this scenario; she would have to fly by the seat of her pants. Fly, or crash and burn on the rocky shore below. But this was not the time for metaphors. The doctor was still talking. 

"I can only imagine why you've come to me. I can't say I'm surprised, but I am disappointed. A pretty young thing like you should know better." 

For all Raph's practiced charm, she couldn't hide her indignation at that. 

"I hardly define myself by youth and beauty! Please, I am a woman of science. And you, Doctor, are the greatest scientist this universe has ever seen. I would kill for even a glimpse of your lab."

Carmilla laughed at that, a sharp, hollow sound, and tapped a nail against the wineglass. "I can tell." 

If Raphaella had any semblance of decency or shame, she might have blushed. Instead, she edged closer along the faded leather of the booth's seat. 

"Previous studies indicate that I can make it worth your while." Under the table, she ghosted a hand up Carmilla's thigh, watching her face carefully for any results. There was the faintest blush to her cheeks, the tiniest curve to her lips. A successful first trial. "Besides, a little looking never hurt anyone."

"I disagree entirely. If you have your heart set on seeing Silvana, though, who am I to stand in your way?" 

And with that Carmilla stood, trailing her fingers lightly down Raph's jawline before turning and striding through the door. It was all Raph could do to compose herself and follow as the hem of the Doctor's cape vanished through the door and into the black of the night.


	2. Chapter 2

The Silvana, parked a ways away in a secluded copse of trees, was any scientist's wet dream. Carmilla explained and demonstrated the features as she guided Raphaella through it: the non-porous surfaces (for easy sterilization), the adjustable light sources, the refrigerated vault filled with assorted body parts. Through it all Raph watched, rapt, taking mental notes on what she would be able to improve in her own lab. Once she had the resources, of course. Many of the materials themselves were entirely foreign to her world, but arrangements could be made. 

Carmilla herself was clearly affected by the wine, almost dancing from place to place and going off on wild tangents at every opportunity. The difference between the brooding figure in the bar and this Carmilla, who could almost be called _happy_ , was remarkable. Raphaella was tempted to do more experiments on the effect of environment on the Doctor's mood, but there were more pressing matters at hand. 

For example, she was already moving on to the next room, and Raph didn't want to get lost. Not until she was sure she could find her way back out on her own. This one, like the others, was full of instruments; unlike the others, they were musical instruments in every shape, size, and composition. Many of them Raphaella didn't recognize, but her eye was drawn immediately to the organ at the back of the room. She spared quick glance at the Doctor, who had picked up a small, wooden thing with four strings and was beginning a song that was somehow both upbeat and mournful. 

Raphaella carefully made her way through the room and pressed a single key down on the organ. The note rang out, clear and true. Satisfied, she sat down at the bench and began to play, composing melody and counterpoint to the Doc's strumming and singing. The organ played easily; Raph almost felt like it was guiding her hands, as if it knew the song already. But that was silly. Organs weren't sentient.

When the song ended, Raph looked up to see Carmilla already at her side, staring at her. 

"Winifred seems to have taken quite a shine to you."

"Who's Winifred?"

"You didn't even introduce yourself before playing her? She ought to be ashamed. Organs these days, I can't believe it. Though..." Carmilla took one of Raph's hands, gently caressing it as she examined her fingers and palm. "I can see why she wouldn't mind."

With that, Carmilla brushed her lips against her knuckles in a chaste kiss. "You really do have nice hands." 

"If you'd like, I can show you just what these hands can do." Raph cupped the Doctor's face with her hand, bringing the other one to her waist. She nodded eagerly, and Raph leaned in to kiss her. 

Raphaella wasn't sure what she expected an immortal to taste like. The dry bitterness of red wine she should have expected, the metallic tang of blood was interesting, but there was a softness underneath it all, like strawberries. Carmilla's lips parted further and Raph eagerly pressed in, running her tongue over her teeth and finding two sharp fangs. Carmilla must have felt the moan she let out because she broke away with a laugh. 

"Let's take this to the bedroom, hmm? Wouldn't want to make a mess." Raph just nodded and let the doctor lead her deeper into the ship. 

It wasn't long before Carmilla laid Raph gently down on the bed, going in for another kiss that quickly traveled to her jaw and down her neck. 

"Let me know if you ever want to stop, okay? Safeword is Siren." Raphaella just moaned her agreement, causing the doctor to pull back. "I need to hear you say it."

"Yes, I agree, safeword is Watson, now _please don't stop touching me_ "

She just grinned and went in for another deep, searching kiss. Meanwhile, Raph's hands busied themselves in Carmilla's cloak, eventually finding the clasp and sending it cascading to the floor. She didn't waste any time in going for the buttons of her shirt, even as Carmilla's hands wove their way into her hair. When Raphaella tried to pull her shirt out from where it was tucked into her pants, Carmilla gave a firm tug on her hair, causing her to gasp and break the kiss. 

"Would you like to undress?" Carmilla asked, eyeing the tights and blouse Raphaella had chosen to wear to the bar that night. Raph just nodded and began pulling off her clothing as the Doctor did the same. 

"Now. What would you like?" Raph paused a moment to consider, and Carmilla used the opportunity to climb onto the bed beside her. "If you can't decide-" she punctuated her words with kisses- "you get nothing."

Raphaella leaned in for one more kiss before sitting up. "Please, I want you inside me." Her voice came out as more of a whine than she was expecting, but it got the job done. Carmilla spared only a moment for an excited grin before she flipped Raph unceremoniously onto her back, situating herself squarely above her. 

She leaned in for yet another kiss and Raph craned her neck to meet her, but the doctor swerved at the last second to nip tenderly at her throat. The teasing nibbles soon gave way to bites, sucking dark marks into her skin as her hands reached up to caress Raphaella's breasts. 

Raph couldn't say how long they stayed like that, Carmilla exploring her body with sharp teeth and gentle hands, but quickly the arousal became too much to bear and she squirmed her hips in desperation. She let out a wordless moan of need and Carmilla clicked her tongue in disappointment. "So impatient." 

But Raphaella just whined again ans the doctor rolled her eye and slowly nestled herself between her legs. She ran her hands through Carmilla's hair as she bit one, twice, at her inner thigh, then Raph was overcome by a wave of pleasure as she put her mouth over her clit and began to suck. 

Raphaella was never exactly known for being quiet in bed. Tonight was no exception as Carmilla licked, sucked and did all manner of blasphemous things with her tongue. Her hands balled tight in the doctor's hair as she felt a single finger enter her, the sensation simultaneously overwhelming and not nearly whelming enough. One hand pressed reassuringly on her hip as the other slid in a second finger and crooked them forward _just so_. Carmilla was clearly very experienced in the matter at hand, and Raph found herself spiraling toward orgasm remarkably quickly. 

She came with a cry and sat up before Carmilla could start on seconds. Raph pulled her in for another kiss, heedless of the slick mess coating her lips and chin. They made out for a few minutes until Carmilla stood up abruptly. She left the bedroom through a side door Raph hadn't noticed previously and returned wiping her face with a damp towel. 

"Bathroom's in there." 

Raph just looked up at her, confused and still a bit hazy. "Are you sure you don't want me to-"

The doctor chucked and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Trust me, I'm fine." 

"Oh- okay then." Raphaella climbed out of the bed on shaking legs and made her way to the bathroom. It was surprisingly roomy, and she took her time cleaning herself up. By the time she was done, Carmilla was reclining on the bed in a pair of satin pajamas, reading a book in a language Raph didn't recognize. 

Neither of them spoke as Raph tucked herself into bed beside her and Carmilla dimmed the lights. 

\--

Carefully, Raphaella opened her eyes. Carmilla was still wrapped in the sheets beside her, sleeping soundly. She would have to move quietly so as not to wake her. Raph untangled herself from the blankets and left the room, pausing only to grab the doctor's cloak off the floor to cover herself. 

It was trivial to find her way back to the main lab and access the terminal where the records were kept. The files could only charitably be considered 'organized,' and Raph wasn't entirely sure what she was looking for, but it had to be here. She clicked through countless documents; spreadsheets of data, procedures and conclusions, recipes for what were either biochemical compounds or soup. She cursed under her breath as yet another file turned out to be a dead end. She didn't have time for this, she had to find what she needed and get out before Carmilla woke up. 

Even without considering Carmilla's disorganization, the records on the Silvana were a mess. None of the experiments she found seemed relevant, and half the files seemed to be corrupted somehow. Raph noticed a search bar in the top corner and decided to try her luck. "Immortality" might be a bit on the nose, so she tried the keyword "mechanism" instead. That's what the band of space pirates called themselves, and they seemed to have lived plenty long. That brought up thousands of results, though, and the average life span of test subjects was within a standard deviation for their species. 

One document was interesting though, and Raph dug a little deeper. An experiment that hadn't been performed yet, trying to add a mechanism without removing an existing body part. It was promising, but it still didn't explain how the pirates had lived for so long. She would have to keep looking. 

Or not. Raphaella's blood ran cold as she felt a hand placed firmly on her shoulder. She turned slowly and met Carmilla's eye. It occurred to her, perhaps for the first time, that the doctor could (and very likely would) kill her. That would be ironic, wouldn't it? To lose her life on a foolhardy quest for immortality? But Carmilla just smiled, cold and resigned. It was a very different smile from the ones last night, and it took all Raph's composure to repress her shudder. 

"A curious little thing, aren't you? It seems you've just volunteered to be my next test subject." 

Carmilla's grip tightened ever-so-slightly and she led her over to the operating table/lab bench that occupied the center of the room. Raphaella was suddenly very aware that she was not wearing real clothing as the doctor helped her up to sit on the edge of the table. 

"Now, you sit right there while I see what experiment had you so interested. And stay still, or I'll have to break out the restraints." 

While the promise of restraints in fact interested Raph greatly, she decided that keeping her mouth shut was likely the best course of action here. While the overlying tone of the doctor's words had not changed, there was a darkness there that worried her. All the tales of Carmilla's legendary cruelty... well. Best not push her luck. 

The doctor scribbled some quick notes at the terminal, then began buzzing around the lab in a flurry of activity, gathering materials and taking measurements. She moved with a precision and purpose that Raph hadn't seen from her before, and she found herself worried for her personal safety. A little bit aroused, but mostly worried. As she should be. 

"Is there any particular physical augmentation you've dreamed of? Tail, cat ears, third arm?"

Raphaella considered for a minute as Carmilla prepared a tray of scalpels and surgical instruments. "I've always wanted to have wings."

"I think I can manage that." Carmilla's smile was less than reassuring, but her hands were tender as she removed the cloak and guided Raph to lie face down on the table. 

The sudden sensation of something cold and wet on her back made Raph gasp. 

"It's just antiseptic, darling, don't worry. Now, your species isn't exactly built for wings, so we're going to have to make some adjustments." 

She had almost settled in again when the pain started. It cut through the flesh of her back in two deep, straight lines, and it was all she could do to keep from crying out. The doctor pressed a hand to the back of her neck, as if to comfort her, but Raph knew it was just to ensure she held steady. 

And hold steady she did, despite the wires and metal and chemicals she could not name that pierced her and make every nerve burn with bone-deep pain. All the while Carmilla stood over her, cooing and whispering sweet-sounding nothing even as she cut into her, transformed her into something else. 

Without anesthetic Raphaella felt everything as the doctor cut and rearranged the muscle and bone of her back, removing and making additions as she saw fit. The pain left her breathless and crying, but she did not move or make any noise. She didn't know what would happen if she did, but she couldn't imagine it would be good.

Once again, Raphaella lost track of time, floating between the agony of the procedure, merciful unconsciousness and the occasional ecstasy of soft touches to her neck and the small of her back. 

At some point, the pain started to recede, as if her skin and bone were weaving themselves together around the metal plates and wires embedded in her flesh. The touches, gentle or otherwise, had stopped.

"Hmm." Raph spared a tentative glance at Carmilla, who was rifling through drawers and cabinets. "For the most part, the procedure was a success, but it seems I'm missing a few of the finishing touches. Be a good girl and stay here while I step out and go shopping." She planted a quick kiss on Raphaella's forehead and sashayed out the door without waiting for a response (or washing the blood off her hands). 

Raphaella lay on the table for a few minutes, breathing heavily. Slowly, she stood up, and made her way to the control panel of the Silvana. The navigation controls and autopilot were blessedly easy to find, and she put in coordinates for a populated planet a few systems away. 

The doctor would be fine here on her own for a few months while Raph got the data she needed from the Silvana's systems and finished the mechanization. The ship was more than capable of flying itself back empty when she was done. She would have to erase all records of her own presence and the work they had done here tonight, but Carmilla had lived such a long time. Surely she wouldn't notice a single weekend gone missing. 

\--

Six horrified faces look up at her from the couch. Raphaella stands up from the chair she's been straddling and gives a shallow bow. 

"And that's how I met your mother." 

The other Mechanisms just watch in varying states of shock as she walks out into the hallway and back to her lab. Except the Toy Soldier, who claps cheerily. 

A few days later, Ashes corners her in a hallway. 

"Was any of that true? With you, and Carmilla-"

They're cut off by a hearty laugh from Raphaella. 

"Who cares? All that matters is that they'll never ask me a stupid question like that again." 

As Raph walks away, Ashes just watches with the faintest smile on their face. _Yeah, she'll fit in here just fine._

\--

Several years later, ship's doctor Baron Marius von Raum is moping around the kitchen. Brian, having been democratically elected at gunpoint to deal with the problem, approaches him and asks what's wrong.

"I show up here out of the blue with immortality and this kickass metal arm, and no one is even the tiniest bit curious how it happened? I wrote a whole album about my tragic backstory! Every time I try to play it, someone kills me!"

Brain just sighs and puts his hand on his shoulder. 

"We learned our lesson with the last one. From now on, no more curiosity, and definitely no origin stories."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i don't know if this is any good but i sure did write it!


End file.
